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AVOID HOLIDAY WEIGHT GAIN

love22step
love22step Posts: 1,103 Member
edited October 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, individuals gain between 1-2 pounds per year and half of that occurs during the winter holiday season. Here are some tips to avoid putting on that extra weight: (1) change your mind set by saying "I will not gain any weight between now and New Year's Day;" (2) weigh yourself often; (3) wear a pedometer and aim for more than 10,000 steps a day; (4) do strength training; (5) make it a habit to fill up on water and fiber-dense fruits and vegetables--five to nine selections daily--so you will not eat junk foods; (6) track your success in meeting the goals above. I copied this from military.com, but it's a good reminder for us losers.

Replies

  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,519 Member
    7. In terms of diet, don't make the Holidays a "season," keep them to a few days off track
  • tingkari
    tingkari Posts: 1
    :bigsmile:
  • DDsMrs
    DDsMrs Posts: 107 Member
    Thanks for the tips! I've already printed this on a small index card so I can carry it around with me.
  • DannyMussels
    DannyMussels Posts: 1,842 Member
    If people are only gaining 1-2lbs per year, I'd say they're doin pretty good.
  • Tujitsu56
    Tujitsu56 Posts: 392 Member
    I like the strength trainnig tip in this. I plan to eat a TON of turkey and chicken over the Holiday season, but I want that to be fuel for strength training. I plan to cut back a bit on cardio and focus more on some bigger weights.
  • jak111
    jak111 Posts: 36
    Thank you for the suggestions! I intend to use them!
  • Alexdur85
    Alexdur85 Posts: 255 Member
    I think number "7" really says it all. Treat this season like the rest. We all have our "cheat" days so keep them to few and far between.
  • dalgirly
    dalgirly Posts: 280 Member
    I won't lie, I will be gaining this season.

    I will NEVER give up on my Christmas eve dinner, its delicious and totally terrible for you! If I lose 10 lbs on the whole by next Feb, I'm fine with gaining 2 over Christmas.

    Not saying that most days I won't watch what I eat, and that I won't exercise. But to restrict myself my favourite meal of the year just because I'm worried I'm going to gain a pound or two is not worth it. And I'm pretty sure my Christmas eve meal has got to be a good 5000 calories. lol.
  • Sp1nGoddess
    Sp1nGoddess Posts: 1,134 Member
    7. In terms of diet, don't make the Holidays a "season," keep them to a few days off track

    This is a great point!
  • broby425
    broby425 Posts: 68
    I was just thinking about this today. As of this morning, I am 3.1 lbs. away from dipping below 200 for the first time since...forever, it seems. And standing between me and that goal is Thanksgiving, which we're hosting, with a houseful of overnight company.

    How bad do I want it?
  • hdjenkins
    hdjenkins Posts: 12 Member
    thanks for posting!
  • love22step
    love22step Posts: 1,103 Member
    If people are only gaining 1-2lbs per year, I'd say they're doin pretty good.


    :-) Because you're still relatively young. As you get older, time flies, and pounds can add up in a hurry.
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
    A piddling 1-2 pounds per year? I just wish that were my only worry! They must be talking about those few remaining people (Americans, anyway!) who don't have a weight problem as a general rule.
  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
    If I gain a pound a year, I will be more than 80lbs overweight in my 80s... that's awful.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    If I gain a pound a year, I will be more than 80lbs overweight in my 80s... that's awful.
    That's just an average person. It's up to you.

    It brings up an interesting point though: if this study is correct, doesn't it mean that the average elderly person is 50-100 pounds overweight?
This discussion has been closed.

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